One Thing Always Leads to Another
Author: jill
•12:07 PM
Jonesy and I got rid of our microwave. (~Gasp~) I know, I know. Who doesn't have/want a microwave. Think about it ... what do you use your microwave for? At our house, it is a glorified bagel/English Muffin defroster and occasional food reheater. I would never cook in it. When I was pregnant -all three times- the microwave was my popcorn dispenser. But then I read some yucky information on microwave popcorn and all that came to an end.

So, our microwave was just taking up valuable space. Jonesy took it out and created this big, ready-to-be-filled space. What to do? What to do?

Actually, it was Jonesy who came up with the idea. We organized all our spices and now have them displayed nicely. And, conveniently. Prior to the re-organization, our spices were a disaster. Little glass jars and small tins shoved in a skinny cupboard, unable to reach without some kind of foul language escaping. Some were in bags, from various places - all shoved in a larger bag. It was not conducive to excellent cooking. In fact, it was so bad that when we started going through them, there were duplicates ... 2 nutmegs, 2 fennel seeds, 2 thymes. Ridiculous.

The little stickers are temporary. I want stickers, but not those stickers. Our printer is pathetic and old and pathetic ... similar to me, you might be thinking to yourself. So, when I get myself a big-girl job, I am buying myself a fancy printer that will make pretty stickers. To replace the plain-Jane stickers that must suffice for now. And between you and I, a new printer will allow me to make all kinds of lovely things - for the home and otherwise ... Return Address labels, colouring pages for the girls, crafty projects for the girls. Obviously, I need to get myself a big-girl job!

Now, I ask you ... isn't this a much better use of space? And the little spice containers are adorable. Jonesy found them at ... The Bulkbarn. I'm telling you, the place is a little goldmine. I feel happy when I walk in my kitchen and see them all lined up, waiting to be shaken into something delicious. The only problem is that the stickers must be facing out, of course; so I have begun to liken myself to that scary guy in Sleeping With the Enemy ...

However, there is just one problem. Because now a total reorganization of the kitchen is underway. The very skinny cupboard, that once housed the previous spice failure, was now empty ... so what could I move in there? Tea and children's medicine fit perfectly. Oh ... that frees up some space in the cupboard below.

And, so the story goes. Cutlery drawers have been thoroughly scrubbed and re-organized. All baking and serving dishes have been shuffled. I now have the cutest little baskets holding several different packages of flour ... easily slides out to pick the one I want. Another to hold rice and grains ... easily slides back in to maintain that neat orderly look that control-freaks like myself so relish. Shelves have been re-stocked according to the new (post-infant stage) Mommy - all three of my children spent copious amounts of time in the lower cupboards in my kitchen ... probably because I spend copious amounts of time in the kitchen. Caiden called the corner cupboard, his car; enclosing himself in there and unleashing his imagination. Marnie mastered her first step down in those cupboards. And, it will come as no shock to you if you read this blog often, Addison spent her time re-organizing everything under there. I could never find what I needed. So it was Addie C. who commented one how pretty Mommy's cupboards look.

The other thing that has happened is that I got know all my nice serving dishes again. You know, when you get in the habit of getting stuff on the table as fast as you can, without any fancy presentation or fanfare, you forget all the cool things you have collected in your cupboards. Like a Fondue pot, with the cutest (matching) fondue plates and dip bowls. Oh, and these long rectangular serving dishes, perfect for Asian cuisine. And the pumpkin chip-and-dip bowl. The Italian dinnerware. My Grama's little wooden sauce bowl with the matching spoon ... so adorable.

Oh ... chips and dip ... do you thing there is sugar in chips and/or dip? I could really go for some chips and dip ... in a fancy bowl.

You know ... if we could just get all the scuffs off the walls, the drawings out of the carpet and the toys off the floor, I might actually want to entertain again.

And so, as I look around the kitchen, perfectly organized with new-found counterspace, my creative juices begin to bubble. I actually love my kitchen again ... I feel inspired to create some really good food when I walk in there. But I'm not just inspired to cook ... I am inspired to paint and tile. Because one thing always leads to another.

What? Did you hear that? I think it is Jonesy ... he's groaning. Let's just ignore that. Where are the Home Depot and Rona flyers?

Editorial Comment: I apologize for the truly terrible photographs ... please, add new camera to the list of things I have to buy.
, | comments (1)
Living the Dream
Author: jill
•9:51 AM
What are your Top Five Dream Jobs? Things you would like to do to earn a living ... even if it meant getting some re-training or stepping outside your comfort zone. What would inspire you?

Here are mine ... in no particular order ...

Writer This one should be obvious for those of you who read this blog often. I love writing and expressing myself using words. And, I love research and bringing ideas together; encouraging people to look at things in a different/new way. I looked into journalism very briefly as I was exiting High School, but never followed up on it. Wish I had. Wish someone would give me an assignment now.

Coffee Barrista I would love to own a little coffee shop with high-end coffee and homemade treats. Some treats would be on the healthy side ... homemade granola bars, muffins, etc. ... and some would be not healthy at all. I am thinking of things like cheesecake, or large chocolate chip cookies with lots of "stuff" in them, or buttertarts. Indulgences. I would get to hang out all day and chat with customers; help them pick the perfect coffee to help them forget the stack on their desk for just a few moments. It would never be a franchise ... it would be unique. Warm and inviting and relaxing. Maybe host a book club ... or teen chat night ... or girls' night out. Would you come in for a coffee and a treat?

Lawyer I have commented (briefly) on my love for the law in a previous post, and I have thought about a career in the field of law for many years. When I was a teenager, there was even a time where I saw myself as a hard-nosed bitch, who worked the law to make myself very rich and very powerful. However, that is not me; must have been those ugly teenage hormones raging. But I still love the law; for me, it is a way of helping people. Being specialized is also something that appeals to me ... being an expert in a particular field. I don't feel like an expert in anything except maybe nutritious snacks for kids and the importance of sleep in the growth and development of children. Plus, if I was a lawyer, I would get to wear really fancy (dress-up) clothes and carry a really nice briefcase.

Graphic Designer I love putting colours and patterns together to make something. It can be paper that inspires me. Or fabric. Or a pattern. Or yarn. There is just something about certain colours, patterns and images that really awakens my creative juices. For instance, I had to pop down to the pharmacy to pick up some cough medicine for Addie C. ... she is driving us all crazy with "the cough." I cannot help myself ... I find myself at the magazine rack, looking at quilting magazines and knitting/crochet magazines and scrapbooking magazines; I am completely inspired and cannot wait to get home so that I can look at my fabrics. But then I talked some sense into myself ... I cannot sew and crochet while I read one hundred books. It would be impossible. Maybe that could be my project for next year. However, as a career, this would require total re-training, and perhaps a move to Toronto ... to be in the game.

Owner of a Chocolate Shop Now, you may think that I just want to be near chocolates all day long. And, you could be right. But actually, I have found that there is a real need for nut-free chocolate for those who suffer from allergies. It is nearly impossible to find high quality chocolate that is guaranteed to be free from nuts; and so, what we do as parents of children with allergies, is take chances. Chances that we do not want to take. The chocolate would be for baking, and/or for eating; maybe infused with different flavours. I want to do more than just sell it, I want to make it, too. I want to grind the cocoa beans and add the cocoa butter and create the most incredible thing you have ever tasted. It would be so exhilarating to create something and then watch, as people react to it. Mostly a pipe dream, but a true interest; however, over the next few weeks, as I am looking for a chocolatey Easter treat for my kids, I will also begin to think of ways to get the financial backing and possible locations. Check out some labels as you pick out your favourite Easter treat ... you'll see what I mean.

 Architect  I think I am attracted to this job for many of the same reasons I am attracted to the law. It is professional and specialized. It requires an attention to detail ... I am highly detail oriented. A perfectionist. I imagine that there would be problem-solving required all the time and I love problem solving ... dealing with things as they come and figuring out a way to make them better. Oh ... I complain about it at the time ... but I thrive on it in a work-place environment. I think that is one of things that kept me in my previous line of work for so long ... every day was different, and it was constantly solving problems ... client-oriented, staff related or managerial. There are only a few schools who offer an architecture program, and there are none in the Windsor area. But, I still like the idea of creating a building to meet the needs of the owner ... a house, an office building, a mall, whatever.

Wait ... that is six jobs. Well, I am glad I don't want to be a mathematician ... that would be a long road to reach perfection! I wish I had this sort of self-awareness when I was eighteen years old; I may have chosen a different path. Mid-life crisis, perhaps? But at least I am inspired ... by something other than children.

So, what brought all this on? I just finished High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. Toward the end of the novel, the main character has to come up with his Top Five Dream Jobs. I thought it was a neat exercise; because you can tell a great deal about someone by learning where their interests lie. Or, what if someone couldn't come with five dream jobs ... because there was nothing that interested them. What does that tell you about the person? Would you like to have coffee with someone (in my one-of-a-kind fantasy coffee shop) who had no interest in a career? Or, what if someone could not come up with five dream jobs because they knew exactly what they wanted to do, and it was just one thing. A mechanic or a nurse or a scientist specializing in the field of genetic research. I admire those who have a clear idea of what they want to do when they grow up. I am a grown-up and I still don't know what I am going to do.

High Fidelity is the story of Rob, a thirty-six-year old music junkie, who is trying to figure out how he fits into the world. You may have seen the movie, starring John Cusack. Rob is afraid of commitment ... he wants "to keep his options open" ... wandering through his own life as though he is waiting for something good to happen. But he doesn't do anything that would inspire good things to happen. He is afraid to take a chance; he is afraid of failure. Despite the (sort of) downer theme, the book is really funny and very entertaining. I laughed out loud reading this book, and you will too, if you read it. Hornby gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of a guys' head.

Rob owns a small failing record store, specializing in unique vintage vinyl. One day he receives a phone call from a woman indicating she has a record collection to sell and assures him he will be interested in what she has to offer. When he arrives, he finds a bitter middle-aged woman who wants to sell her husband's prized $6000 record collection for $50. He has run off with a twenty-something bimbo and she is out for revenge. Now, ladies, you know that we would have paid the $50, added our own two cents worth of advice and bad names, and walked away laughing (at the cheating husband) with all our super-cool new records. And feeling oddly satisfied that we had helped that poor woman out. Not Rob. He feels sorry for the guy because he appreciates the collection so much; he cannot pay such a meager amount for such an astonishing collection. He leaves with just one record that he insists the woman take $10 for. This is how the man's brain works; and I think lots of guys would do the same thing that Rob did. That one act is what sets men and women apart, in my opinion.

In another part of the book, Rob talks about how a photo of a child evokes a feeling of happiness or sadness ... one or the other, that is it. I had never thought of it before, but it is true. If you saw a baby picture of Barak Obama, how would you feel? I would smile, realizing the wonderful things he would go on to do. Olympic Medalist, Donovan Bailey? Same feeling. But what if you saw a baby photo of John F. Kennedy? Or, Jeffery Dalmer? How would people feel if they saw a baby picture of you?

This was a fun read, which was especially what I needed after Close Range.

I think I need to clarify one thing ... after some thought. My dream job was to be a Mom. I hope that goes without saying. But there is more, right? Something I could get paid for ... go out in the world to do ... be excited about ... feel some immediate sense of gratification? I guess I have seven Dream Jobs, but I have already accomplished one. So, time to move on to the next ...
, , | comments (2)
Addie C. Jones and the Art Project
Author: jill
•9:30 AM
Recently, Caiden has shown an interest in art. How images are drawn, by hand or computer generated; colour combinations; he looks at Renoir or drawings of SpongeBob. He has a natural curiosity that is never satisfied. So, for his birthday this year, I got him some art supplies. A poster size sketch book, along with his own "artist" pencil crayons, oil pastels and charcoal. I wanted him to have some different mediums to experiment with. He loves it ... especially the charcoal.

Charcoal is really cool to use when drawing/sketching. It can produce a strong, bold line or it can be used for shading. Caiden likes to draw something and then rub his hands in the charcoal ... all over the page ... and his clothes ... and the bathroom sink. It is very messy; and in retrospect, perhaps, not my most intelligent shopping decision. But I wanted him to experience something new and interesting. And anyway, who said I do things the easy way?

Which brings me to the other morning.

I needed a few minutes to blow dry my hair; so I suggested that Addie C. find something to keep herself busy, and then we would go downstairs and make some lunch. Now, let's just stop at this point for a moment because there are a couple of things to address. First, I would like to point out the obvious ... that it is never a good idea to suggest an almost four-year-old little girl, who has a propensity to find trouble anyway, "find something to keep herself busy." This was just stupid on my part. The second point that needs to be mentioned is that because my hair is so long right now, she knew I would be otherwise occupied for quite a few minutes. My hair is ridiculously long; Caiden measured the length once and reported it to be twenty inches long ... not sure if that is correct, but I wouldn't mess with him and numbers. Anyhow, it takes ten to fifteen minutes to blow it dry ... so she had ten to fifteen minutes of free time ... to find something to keep herself busy.

When Addie C. heard the blow dryer click "off," she sauntered into the bathroom. Sweet smile on her face. I knew something was up.

"Hello, Mommy," she starts. "So ... what are we gonna do today?"

I notice there is something dark on the palms of her hands and ask what it is. She, of course, tries to hide them, look of terror on her face. I discover it is charcoal, and take off running into Caiden's room. Afraid of what I will find.

What I find is a drawing on the carpet ... with charcoal. Now, from an artist's perspective, I might like to point out that she has used strong bold lines and some nice shading, especially for an almost four-year-old ... who has a propensity to find trouble. But I am not an artist ... I am a mother. A very unhappy mother.

Addie C. immediately bursts into tears, full of regret. The thing that I truly do not understand, is that she knew it was wrong when she did it. But she did it anyway. And then she feels bad about doing it. So, when the idea crosses her mind ... to draw with the impossible-to-remove charcoal on the carpet in her brother's bedroom ... does she just lose all other thought process? Or, are they (the almost four-year-olds with a propensity to find trouble, that is) unable to look past the immediate gratification of doing something enjoyable? I believe Freud would remind me that children at this stage are ruled by the ID ... Addie C. is strongly ruled by the ID. I continue to hope that the SUPEREGO will get to work soon!!

The thing is ... I really like the picture. The little girl is darling ... something about the eyes and the big smile. I wish it was on paper ... because I would put it away in her memory box with all the other special art projects she has given to me. But this project ... I have to figure out how to remove.

Any ideas?


, , | comments (2)
Brunch with the Jones'
Author: jill
•3:22 PM
Do you have a rotation of recipes? I mean, do you cook the same things over and over again? Recently, it seems as though I cook the same four or five meals. If my kids had their way, I would only cook spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, macaroni with cheese and chocolate cake. I just can't do it anymore. I need some variety in my life.

So, I am always on the lookout for new (inspiring) recipes; it gives me a reason to go into the kitchen. The other day I picked up Jonesy's latest read ... Food Matters by Mark Bittman. The beginning of the book is all about the food industry ... and frankly, I have read enough about that for now. Plus, I have my own reading list to keep moving on. So, I skipped that part and went straight to the recipes. Not only are there recipes, but there is a menu - for four weeks! It is a little sad and pathetic ... how much this excites me but it is exactly what I need ... someone else to decide what to have for each meal of the day. I am happy to cook it ... so long as I do not have to conceive of the dish myself.

Beginning, yesterday (February 22nd), I have been following the Menu in Food Matters. The recipes are fabulous and new and fresh; and even my kids enjoyed last night's supper ...stuffed chicken breast with wild rice on the side- and 2 out of 3 Jones children liked it! This is considered a success at my house.

But the very first recipe I tried in this book was one for granola. I always keep my eyes open for a good granola recipe ... one that does not focus on nuts. We have life-threatening allergies in our family ... so no nuts allowed! Bittman's granola incorporated nuts and seeds; so, I just doubled up on the seeds, and omitted the nuts. The recipes calls for whatever dried fruit you want ... guess what I found at The Bulkbarn? Dried blueberries ... they are like a little burst of sunshine in your mouth. A taste explosion. However, they are $20 per pound ... so, at our house, the taste explosions were not plenty. But the ones you got were so worth the wait (between bites). Caiden would have eaten a whole bowl of them, if I would have let him.

The granola keeps forever in the fridge; and it is good with milk, as cereal in the morning. Or try it with yogurt, or on top of ice cream, or just with fruit.

I hope Mr. Bittman doesn't mind that I posted his recipe here ... it's just too good not to share! Don't be surprised if I share my thoughts on other recipes as I move through the menu over the next four weeks ... when I find something good, I like to share it.


Anything Goes Granola (from Food Matters by Mark Bittman, 2009)

5 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking), or other rolled grains  I used oats, spelt and kamut (from The Bulkbarn!)
3 cups mixed nuts and seeds, like sunflower/pumpkin/sesame seeds
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut  I increased a bit because I did not use any nuts
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 to 1 cup honey  I used 1/2 cup, and I warmed it up a little before adding
Salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped dried fruit  I used raisins, apricots, cherries and blueberries

(1) Heat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts and seeds, coconut, cinnamon, honey and vanilla; sprinkle with a little salt. Toss well to thoroughly distribute ingredients. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The granola should brown evenly; the darker it gets without burning, the crunchier it will be.

(2) Remove pan from oven and add dried fruit. Cool on a rack, stirring now and then until the granola reaches room temperature. Put in a sealed container and store in the refrigerator ... it keeps indefinitely.

Makes 9 cups. Enjoy.
, , | comments (0)
A Little Embarrassing
Author: jill
•5:30 AM
Have you ever been embarrassed because you did not know something? Come on ... we're all friends here. You can admit it ... it's happened to all of us at one time or another. It happened to me this past week.

I had never heard of Annie Proulx. The woman wrote The Shipping News and received The Pulitzer Prize for it ... and I've never heard of her? Of course, I know of The Shipping News and have picked it up several times, but never bought it. And, apparently, I didn't remember who the author was. She also wrote Brokeback Mountain ... you might have heard of it ... Oscar-winning movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger? And, I've never heard of Annie Proulx?

I am embarrassed that I did not know who Annie Proulx was. I feel like I should have.

I just finished Close Range, Wyoming Stories. It is a book of eleven short stories, one of which is Brokeback Mountain. It is well written. Obviously. However, I just couldn't get into it. Now, I am embarrassed to say it took me six days to read it. It is about cowboys and ranchers and bronco riders. I just didn't care to read about the cowboys and the ranchers and the bronco riders.

There is only story written from the perspective of a woman, The Lonely Coast; and it is written in the first person, which I love. The Bunchgrass Edge of the World is about a family of ranchers and centres on the story of Ottaline. She is an obese girl, who unlike her brother and sister, has been unable to escape the farm; so she lives there with her elderly grandfather and her parents. She is lonely and wishes she could find someone to love; but when she cannot, she hallucinates that a tractor is her friend. And when the tractor is not "talking" to her, she entertains herself by listening to a scanner that picks up cellphone calls.

The stories were mostly about hardship and struggle. They were not happy and uplifting. In fact, when I finished each one I felt a little down. There were no happy endings, no one seemed to overcome their struggles. There was no triumph.

I think my favourite story was The Mud Below which chronicles the journey of one young fellow, as he becomes a brono rider in the rodeo and learns about himself, too.

I am glad to be on to the next book. Although, I would still like to read The Shipping News. And, I am no longer embarrassed. Because I have read something by Pulitzer Prize winning author, Annie Proulx.
, | comments (0)
Apparently
Author: jill
•11:17 AM
As I am sure you can imagine, I have read many, many children's books. More than one hundred in one year, for sure. And, occasionally, I come across one that I love so much I want to tell the world about it.

Caiden brought home The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Schotter from the school library this week. He also brought it home when he was in Senior Kindergarten; so, there must me something about the book that attracts him. It is the story of a little boy, named Selig, who loves words ... their sound, their meaning, their taste. And he writes them on little pieces of paper so that he can remember them. He is different from the other children and, of course, he is teased. Little Selig becomes embarrassed by his hobby and obsession. As he grows a little older, Selig comes to embrace his talent and love of words, finding a way to make them useful. And, thus, a way to make himself feel useful.

The vocabulary used in the story is great ... even I learned a couple new ones. My favourite is tintinnabulating, which means making a sound like bells. I love words that describe a sound ... crinkle, scrunch, mellifluous, giggle. Do you have a favourite word? In conversation, apparently I use the word "apparently" a great deal because Caiden now uses it. That is one of the hallmarks of great parenting ... when your kids start to talk like you. Apparently, it's true; because I hear myself saying the same things my mother used to say. Apparently.

The Boy Who Loved Words is a wonderful story about staying true to yourself and finding pride in your talent, even if it makes you different from others. So, if you have a young friend, who has a special gift that makes him/her unique, consider this book for a gift. S/he is not alone.

Little Selig so reminds me of my Caiden, and so it interests me that he is attracted to this story, too. And when he finds a use for all his special talents, look out world ... 'cause there will be no stopping him!
, | comments (1)